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Grand Court of Din Eschal
The Grand Court is the overarching government of the nation of Din Eschal. It is comprised of baelants, representatives, from each of the nation's cities, as well as Archbaelants from each of the capitals. Each city is given a seat for one baelant, with each capital given a second. There is no ruling family for the nation as a whole, though the Gellion family has run the Gellion Hold for 375 years. The baelant seats are appointed, but the baelants themselves are decided in whatever manner the holds decide. Archbaelants are elected by the people of each hold. These court members receive no monetary compensation for their seat, but they are invited to live in the City Hall of the city they represent. They have no living expenses, save personal expenditures. All other needs are seen to, but without baelants ever directly receiving money. Baelants The baelants within Din Eschal are treated very differently from one hold to the next. Eldesa's baelants are treated with dignity and respect, and they are known for having a strong tradition of forsaking their worldly possessions. This does not happen with every baelant, but many choose to do so, and those that do are seen as particularly devoted. Nearly all Archbaelants have chosen to do so, keeping only the possessions they feel will benefit their new position. Gellion's baelants are treated like royalty, with a single family, the Gellion family, appointing all of the baelants directly. This was initially vehemently opposed by Eldesa Hold and Orost hold, but ultimately, the people of Gellion "rallied" behind the family. This was seen by most as a ruse, but no direct evidence could be found, and the family was allowed to continue their rule. The baelants of this ruling family were initially very strict and harsh. However, Archbaelant Dereden was a particularly noble, kind, and powerful individual, and he spent his life from the moment he took the position of Archbaelant stamping out the corrupt and unworthy individuals within his family. Most were put to death, while some were exiled from Din Eschal. Since his reign, the family has seen widespread public support both from its own people and from the baelants of Eldesa and Orost. Orost's baelants are treated with the utmost respect. Orost Hold is more politically independent than either of the other two holds, having a host of treaties and trade routes of its own with other nations. Orost Hold's baelants are often outside of the nation seeking to enact even more treaties. Always ready to make a beneficial deal, Orost Hold is very prosperous. Much of this prosperity is fed into the hold's overarching strive for progress. Within Orost Hold, each baelant is given an insignia ring. This ring is not to be worn by the baelants themselves, however. It is intended to be given to a great thinker. Regardless of the thinker's starting point in life, whether elite or peasant, they are immediately raised to Maker. Makers are appointed for life, with only the Archbaelant able to legally revoke their title. Archbaelants In addition to the capitals' baelants, each capital is also given a seat for an Archbaelant. An Archbaelant is largely the same as a baelant with a handful of exceptions. * While baelants can be appointed in any manner a hold's laws prescribe, Archbaelants are always elected by the combined voice of all of the people within a hold and must be approved by all sitting Archbaelants. * The Archbaelant of a hold has the power to overrule any and all decisions made by baelants within that hold. Only the voice of two or more opposing Archbaelants can overrule a decision made by an Archbaelant within their own hold. * This effectively means that in the event of an absent Archbaelant, the majority voice of the remaining Archbaelants serves as a temporary Archbaelant. The unanimous vote by all Archbaelants is needed for the following actions: * Change the nation's current state of warfare * Impose martial law * Alter any national law Archbaelants are appointed for an indefinite period. However, a majority vote by the baelants of a hold can successfully call the other Archbaelants to a vote to remove the current Archbaelant. In addition to these powers, an Archbaelant is strictly prohibited from owning land or any possessions other than personal items and all wealth the Archbaelant has at the moment of their appointment is immediately taken by the Court. Should the Archbaelant ever step down, their wealth is returned. However, this has never happened.